🔧 Grand Cherokee - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, swing the rear calipers out of the way, swap the pads/hardware, then compress the caliper pistons and reassemble. This restores braking performance and prevents metal-to-metal rotor damage when pads are worn thin.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5–3.0 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and use jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• 🔥 Brakes get extremely hot—let everything cool before you touch the calipers/rotors.
• 🧴 Brake fluid can damage paint—cover fenders and wipe spills immediately.
• 🧷 Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose; support it with a hook/strap.
• 🅿️ Make sure the parking brake is fully released before starting.
• 🔋 Battery disconnect is not required for a basic rear pad swap.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 13mm socket
• 18mm wrench
• Torque wrench (30–200 ft-lbs range)
• Large C-clamp
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Small wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Brake cleaner spray
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Rear brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Rear brake pad hardware/clip kit - Qty: 1
• High-temp silicone brake grease - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park your Grand Cherokee on level ground, turn the steering wheel straight, and chock the front wheels.
• Release the parking brake fully (the rear parking brake mechanism must be off).
• Crack the rear lug nuts loose before lifting the vehicle (use a 21mm socket and breaker bar).
• Open the hood and remove the brake fluid reservoir cap (fluid can rise when you push pistons back).

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the rear at the proper lift point.
• Set the vehicle down onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Give the vehicle a firm shake to confirm it’s stable before you go under/near the wheel wells.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Use a 21mm socket and ratchet to remove the lug nuts.
• Remove both rear wheels so you can compare left vs right as you work.

Step 3: Remove the rear caliper slide pin bolts

• Turn the caliper so you can see the two slide pin bolts on the back side.
• Use a 13mm socket to remove the upper and lower caliper slide pin bolts.
• If the slide pin wants to spin, hold it with an 18mm wrench while you loosen the bolt.

Step 4: Support the caliper and remove old pads

• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension spring/control arm using a bungee cord.
• Remove the inner and outer brake pads from the bracket by hand. If they’re stuck, gently pry with a flat-blade screwdriver.
• Remove the pad clips/hardware from the bracket (these are the metal “rails” the pads slide on).

Step 5: Compress the caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston face.
• Use a large C-clamp to slowly press the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; if it gets close to full, remove a small amount so it doesn’t overflow.
• Go slow—fast can damage seals.

Step 6: Clean and prep the bracket and hardware

• Spray the bracket pad contact areas with brake cleaner spray.
• Use a small wire brush to remove rust where the pad clips sit.
• Install the new pad clips/hardware onto the bracket.
• Apply a thin film of high-temp silicone brake grease to the clip contact surfaces where the pad “ears” slide (do not get grease on pad friction material or rotor).

Step 7: Install the new pads

• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• If your pad set includes a wear indicator (squealer), match its position to the old pad orientation on that side.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper and torque the bolts

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the caliper slide pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 13mm socket to tighten, and counter-hold with an 18mm wrench if needed.
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs) for the rear caliper slide pin bolts.

Step 9: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Use a torque wrench (30–200 ft-lbs range) and 21mm socket to tighten lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Torque to 176 Nm (130 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine off, press the brake pedal 8–12 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• Check brake fluid level and reinstall the reservoir cap.
• Do a slow test drive and confirm normal braking and no grinding noises.
• Pad bedding (recommended): make 6–8 moderate stops from ~40 mph down to ~10 mph, with a little driving between stops to cool the brakes.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $350–$650 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $60–$200 (parts only)

You Save: $150–$590 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100–$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5–2.5 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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